At the groundbreaking ceremony for the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, a paved, multi-use bike trail that will span 27 miles through Leelanau County and the National Lakeshore, U.S. Senator Carl Levin applauded the project, calling it federal money well spent. Yesterday at the base of the Dune Climb, Senator Levin spoke along with National Lakeshore Superintendent Dusty Shultz, Cherry Republic President and CEO Bob Sutherland, and others.
Vignettes of the Leelanau landscape are Holly Sturges’s theme in an exhibition of painting at Center Gallery/Lake Street Studios, 6023 S. Lake St., Glen Arbor. This show opens Aug. 19 with a 6 p.m. public reception.
Local Leelanau group 11 Oaks has been teaching subsistence farmers in developing countries how to use recycled water and simple drip irrigation to grow vegetables during drought. Since 2005, working in Africa and Central America, the non-profit charity has installed nearly 20 miles of pipe at orphanages, schools, hospitals, and in villages.
Sun seekers tanning their hides on Empire beach were suddenly transported back in history on the afternoon of Sunday, July 31, when the Saginaw Voyageurs arrived in a birch bark replica canoe. The Voyageurs wore costumes to resemble the pre-American Revolution French fur traders, who opened up trade routes between Great Lakes Native American communities and Montreal. They were concluding the first day of a weeklong journey that began in Frankfort and ended on Aug. 6 in Traverse City.
On Wednesday, Aug. 17 at 8 p.m. the country-folk musician Rita Hosking will perform outdoors on The Leelanau School Graduation Green, north of Glen Arbor. Rain location is the Leelanau School Student Center. Hosking’s concert concludes the 2011 Manitou Music Festival, which for 21 years has treated Leelanau County residents to jazz, classical, blues, folk, country, celtic, bluegrass and world music.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore) Superintendent Dusty Shultz is pleased to announce that the 10th annual Port Oneida Rural Arts and Culture Fair will be held Aug. 12 and 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to the many popular demonstrations, animals and exhibits, the fair will be a zero-waste event, will feature a chicken dinner on Friday, and will end with an astronomy party on Saturday night to celebrate the milestone 10th year.
“Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, tucked in the northwest corner of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, is one of the nation’s best-kept secrets,” according to ABC’s popular show “Good Morning America.” We concur. But now the secret is out.
After half a decade of planning, some debate, and the solidification of enthusiastic support across a broad spectrum of the public, the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail will officially launch with a groundbreaking ceremony at the Dune Climb on Friday, August 12 at 11 a.m. When completed, the 27-mile trail will run from the southern edge of Leelanau County, through the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to Good Harbor Bay.
Great Lakes Friends of Safe Passage will sponsor the second annual Esperanza 5K run on Aug. 13 at 10 a.m. (registration at 9) at the Grand Traverse Commons in Traverse City. “Esperanza” is the Spanish word for “hope”. Safe Passage is an internationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to bringing hope and opportunity to children of the Guatemala City garbage dump community.
Writing a review for a dear friend is always a risk because, well, what if you don’t like the book? Fortunately, it is an honor and pleasure to review Jacob Wheeler’s beautiful first book Between light and Shadow: A Guatemalan Girl’s Journey through Adoption (University of Nebraska Press, April 2011).